FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.13

ధర్మబాధో విధర్మ: స్యాత్పరధర్మోఽన్యచోదిత: । ఉపధర్మస్తు పాఖణ్డో దమ్భో వా శబ్దభిచ్ఛల: ॥ ౧౩ ॥
dharma-bādho vidharmaḥ syāt
[dharma-baadho vidharmah syaat]
para-dharmo ’nya-coditaḥ
[para-dharmo ’nya-choditah]
upadharmas tu pākhaṇḍo
[upadharmas tu paakhando]
dambho vā śabda-bhic chalaḥ
[dambho vaa shabda-bhich chalah]
dharma-bādhaḥ — obstructs the execution of one’s own religious principles vidharmaḥ — against the principles of religion syāt — should be para-dharmaḥ — imitating religious systems for which one is unfit anya-coditaḥ — which is introduced by someone else upadharmaḥ — concocted religious principles tu — indeed pākhaṇḍaḥ — by one who is against the principles of Vedas, standard scriptures dambhaḥ — who is falsely proud vā — or śabda-bhit — by word jugglery chalaḥ — a cheating religious system.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dharma-bādho vidharmaḥ syāt
dharma-bādhaḥ
obstructs the execution of one’s own religious principles
vidharmaḥ
against the principles of religion
syāt
should be
para-dharmo ’nya-coditaḥ
para-dharmaḥ
imitating religious systems for which one is unfit
upadharmas tu pākhaṇḍo
anya-coditaḥ
which is introduced by someone else
upadharmaḥ
concocted religious principles
tu
indeed
pākhaṇḍaḥ
by one who is against the principles of Vedas, standard scriptures
dambho vā śabda-bhic chalaḥ
dambhaḥ
who is falsely proud
vā
or
śabda-bhit
by word jugglery
chalaḥ
a cheating religious system.
Religious principles that obstruct one from following his own religion are called vidharma. Religious principles introduced by others are called para-dharma. A new type of religion created by one who is falsely proud and who opposes the principles of the Vedas is called upadharma. And interpretation by one’s jugglery of words is called chala-dharma.

To create a new type of dharma has become fashionable in this age. So-called svāmīs and yogīs support that one may follow any type of religious system, according to one’s own choice, because all systems are ultimately the same. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, however, such fashionable ideas are called vidharma because they go against one’s own religious system. The real religious system is described by the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. The real religious system is that of surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord. In the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in connection with Ajāmila’s deliverance, Yamarāja says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: real religion is that which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as real law is that which is given by the government. No one can manufacture actual law at home, nor can one manufacture actual religion. Elsewhere it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: the real religious system is that which leads one to become a devotee of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, anything opposed to this religious system of progressive Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called vidharma, para-dharma, upadharma or chala-dharma. Misinterpretation of Bhagavad-gītā is chala-dharma. When Kṛṣṇa directly says something and some rascal interprets it to mean something different, this is chala-dharma — a religious system of cheating — or śabda-bhit, a jugglery of words. One should be extremely careful to avoid these various types of cheating systems of religion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Vidharma means to perform acts which destroy dharma. Para-dharma means to perform another person’s duties. Upadharma means advertising oneself as a follower of dharma, while actually rejecting the Vedas. Chala-dharma means interpreting the words of the scripture incorrectly. The five forbidden categories are described, but not in exact order. Vidharma means that which cancels one’s dharma when performed, though one thinks it is dharma. Performing someone else’s dharma (duties and occupation) is para-dharma. Upamā dharma or upadharma means something resembling dharma which is not dharma. It refers to pretenders who actually reject the Vedas (pākhaṇḍaḥ), who dress up with matted locks and ashes and announce themselves as upholders of dharma. Chala-dharma refers to person who explains the scriptures in another way (śabda-bhit). For instance the phrase “One should feed at least ten brāhmaṇas” can be interpreted to mean “One should feed less than ten brāhmaṇas.” Another version has śabda-bhṛt: person who maintains the word dharma only, but acts otherwise. If there is an injunction to give a cow, then the person will give a dying cow.
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